From Awakening Hue’s Imperial Citadel at Night to Its Dream of Becoming a Film Set

Hue wants its heritage to do more than attract visitors through entrance tickets. The city is considering nighttime activities at the Imperial Citadel, street music, film locations and cultural spaces designed to appeal to younger audiences.

Hue Chairman Le Tri Thanh chaired a meeting on Sept. 3 to review a draft plan for developing the city's cultural industries through 2030, with a vision to 2045. The meeting also examined a plan for using the Imperial Citadel at night and a list of cultural sites and structures proposed for investment through public-private partnerships.

The draft identifies six main groups: cultural tourism; performing arts; creative design connected with the ao dai, cuisine and film; digital cultural industries; handicrafts and craft villages; and television, radio, publishing and advertising. Hue expects these sectors to grow by about 10% a year on average and contribute around 10% of the city's GRDP by 2030.

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre aims to begin nighttime economic activities at the Imperial Citadel in the fourth quarter of 2026. The plan calls for heritage protection, limited operating areas and close management of commercial services. Thanh said the city should develop the strategy while also selecting projects for controlled pilots, then assess their performance and refine the approach.

City authorities say the state should set the direction, create policy mechanisms and support infrastructure. Businesses with the necessary experience and capacity would lead organization, operations and market expansion. Hue is also looking beyond its traditional image as an old and quiet city. The Hue Wonderverse Music Fest 2026, held on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, drew more than 300,000 spectators, which city leaders cited as evidence of potential for livelier music and arts products.